Emily Drabinski, interim chief librarian at City University of New York Graduate Center, has won the 2023-2024 ALA presidency. Drabinski received 5,410 votes, while her opponent, Kelvin Watson, executive director of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District received 4,622 votes.
Drabinski will step in as president-elect at the 2022 ALA Annual Conference, set for Washington, DC, June 23-28, where current president, Patty Wong, city librarian at the Santa Monica Public Library (CA) will transition to past-president, and Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada, adult services assistant manager at the Palos Verdes Library District in Rolling Hills Estates, California, will begin her presidency. Drabinski will begin her term as president at the 2023 ALA Annual Conference, set to take place in Chicago.
“Thank you to everyone who participated in this election. I am humbled and excited to serve as your President-elect. Thank you to Kelvin Watson for standing for election with me. I have the deepest respect and gratitude for Kelvin and his commitment to libraries,” Drabinski said it a statement. “As we face an uncertain and challenging future, I know this: we have each other, and we are enough. I am ready to get to work with all of you to strengthen our association and our field to support library workers and the communities we serve. Thank you for your confidence and support of my vision for ALA and your role in that vision. We have a lot of work ahead to build collective power for the public good. I can’t wait to get started with all of you.”
Drabinski has served in numerous professional organizational roles, including as chair of the International Relations Committee (2020-21) and as a ALA councilor-at-large (2018-20). She is also a member of several ALA roundtables and ALA affiliates.
